text:
Parents of children with severe developmental disabilities often face a difficult choice: struggle to care for their growing child at home with limited support or give up their child to the care of others. Now an unprecedented move by parents of one child in the Pacific Northwest has disability advocates debating how far parents should go to keep their child at home.
Faced with the prospect that their daughter - who cannot walk, talk or feed herself - would physically outgrow their capacity to care for her at home, a Seattle couple has taken the extreme measure of reining in her growth.
Doctors at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle described in a medical journal in October how they gave high doses of estrogen to a 7-year-old girl, effectively stunting her growth, and performed a hysterectomy to pre-empt the expected side effects of the treatment.
While the moves have shocked many disability advocates, parents in the same untenable position have been much more reluctant to judge.
In Bend, Chablis Dafoe, a 30-year-old single mother caring for a daughter with profound disabilities, says she understands the Seattle parents' concerns. She worries that she might one day have to give up her own daughter, Melissa, if she grows too big.
"That's one of my biggest fears," Dafoe says. "If she's smaller, I could keep her at home longer."
Such families are desperate for new options, but many fear what Pandora's box may have been opened by the decision to keep a child from growing.
"To me, this was not much of a moral dilemma. I believe that this is in her interest," says Dr. Daniel Gunther, the Seattle pediatric endocrinologist who devised the strategy and treated the child. "I know some people will respond viscerally, but most people, when they consider the pros and cons, the costs and benefits, will conclude that this was a positive thing to do."
The parents, who declined to be identified or to speak with The Bulletin, came to see Gunther in 2004 when their daughter began showing signs of puberty at age 6, a common occurrence among children with developmental disabilities. Their daughter has been developmentally delayed since her first month of life, and doctors were never able to uncover the cause.
She cannot sit up and must be fed through a gastric tube. She responds to others with infantile sounds, and smiles in response to care and affection. She never developed beyond the cognitive level of a toddler, but her body continued to grow. It was her sudden rapid growth that had her parents, both of tall stature, concerned. She had progressed on growth charts from the 50th percentile for height to the 75th percentile in only six months.
The difficulty of caring for such children - dressing, bathing, diapering, transferring to and from a wheelchair - increases exponentially as they grow to adolescence and adulthood. While parents often prefer to continue caring for their child at home, they eventually find themselves physically unable to do so.
Gunther suggested treatment with high doses of estrogen, which both arrests growth and rapidly advances maturation of the growth plates in the bones, bringing about a permanent end to growth in a relatively short period of time.
"They were immediately struck with the idea," he says. "It was a novel proposition. To the best of my knowledge, this had not been done before. We couldn't know with complete assurance what exactly the risk would be or what the result would be in terms of the decrease in final height that we could achieve."
Controlling height
In the 1950s and 1960s, it was common practice to use high-dose estrogen in teenage girls who were perceived as outgrowing their reasonable chance of attracting a husband. The practice, although infrequent, continues to this day. Nearly a quarter of pediatric endocrinologists surveyed in 1999 reported having treated at least one tall girl with high-dose estrogen within the previous five years.
In those cases, girls were already well past puberty and had already completed most of their growth. Still, the estrogen treatment reduced their final height by one to four inches. And studies showed that the earlier the girls started the treatment, the greater the result.
So it remained to be seen what the result would be for a younger child, such as the girl in Seattle, and what risks might accompany the treatment. Doctors feared the procedure could result in a cascade of other effects, including uterine bleeding and blood clots.
To avoid the risk of uterine bleeding, they suggested the girl also undergo a hysterectomy. That would eliminate the complications of menses altogether and the inconvenience of a lifetime of hormone injections. But that also framed the treatment in the context of forced sterilization of people with mental retardation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The doctors decided the treatment protocol would have to be approved by the hospital's ethics committee. After meeting the parents and their daughter, the committee had to decide two distinct issues: Was it ethical to attenuate the child's growth, and was it acceptable to perform the hysterectomy?
Ethical concerns
Years ago, involuntarily sterilization was justified with the belief that people with mental retardation were genetically unfit and would pass their "defects" on to future generations.
"Those were being done because it was perceived to be better for society in some way," says Dr. Douglas Diekema, director of education at the Treuman Katz Center for Pediatric Bioethics, and one of the doctors involved in the decision. "That wasn't a consideration here. It was really focused on this little 7-year-old girl who was sitting in that room listening to her father talk. Every decision that was made was made with her in the lens. What is going to make this little girl's life as good as it can possibly be?"
In this case, sterilization was not the intent, only a side effect. Had it been a boy, sterilization would not have entered the discussion, Diekema says.
Menstruation is problematic for many girls with developmental disabilities, who often are frightened by bleeding of any sort. Many are given medications to avoid menses altogether.
"The parents made the argument that in addition to being easier to care for her, she's not having monthly periods," Die-kema says. "A uterus is not an advantage to her. Their case was it's only a disadvantage, and it's even more of a disadvantage in light of what we wanted to do in atten- uating her growth."
The committee also had to consider whe-ther the girl would be harmed by being deliberately kept small. Whether it should or not, height does hold significant value in our society, Diekema says. Tall people earn higher salaries, are more likely to attract romantic partners, and more likely to achieve status in society.
"Not one of those sociologic advantages of height would accrue to this little girl, who was unable to walk, was unable to relate at more than a 2-year-old level, would never hold down a job, would never live independently, would never have a romance," Diekema says. "It was just hard to imagine how height would be of any advantage to her."
Meanwhile, caring for a smaller child would be less burdensome. She would be easier to move, leading to more physical contact, more stimulation and fewer medical complications. The child would be more likely to be included in family activities and outings. "She stays a family member," Diekema says.
That connection was visible in the room during the committee's deliberation, and carried significant weight, Diekema says.
"There were several times when she was becoming a little agitated, and you could see that she was not entirely happy," Diekema recalls. "And then her dad would say something to the committee. She would hear his voice, and she would immediately stop. You could see her whole affect change. She would focus on him and his voice, and it was very clear that there was a really powerful relationship there between her and her parents."
The committee decided to allow the parents to decide their child's fate. She began her treatment in August 2004.
Gunther had originally projected that the girl would quickly grow to a height of about 5 foot 5 inches and a weight of about 130 pounds. After two years of treatment, she has nearly completed her growth spurt, and at her last visit, she was 4 foot 2 inches tall, weighing about 65 pounds. Gunther expects she may grow up to another half-inch.
"There's no reason to believe she can't live a full life span," he says.
Public response
As news of the procedure filtered out, reactions were mixed. Diekema heard from other physicians who backed the ethics of the decision. Others were less supportive.
"The idea of involuntarily interfering with the person's growth or the person's biological function for the convenience of others is something that is, at least in my mind, ethically unacceptable," says Robert Joondeph, executive director of the Oregon Protection and Advocacy Agen-cy, a nonprofit that advocates for the disabled. "One wonders how far that can go."
Joondeph argues that while helping the child stay with caring parents is a laudable goal, disability advocates have been fighting for more support to help parents of children with disabilities.
"I don't think, to a disability advocate, that is a way to treat a person with dignity and to honor their identity as a human being," he says. "The idea that they could be surgically, genetically, artificially modified for the convenience of others would be anathema."
In an editorial accompanying the Seattle case study article, Dr. Jeffrey Brosco, from the University of Miami Department of Pediatrics and Dr. Chris Feudener, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, called the procedure "ill-advised," arguing that the doctors could not be sure of the outcomes.
However, they also noted that while most people will initially recoil at the notion of artificially modifying height, adults and even teenagers can easily have breast implants or nose jobs for much less noble purposes.
"More distressing is how this solution fails to situate the plight of these parents, struggling to care for their children in the larger context of a society failure to provide adequate social support in this most admirable of undertakings," they wrote.
The concerns of the parents in Seattle are being replayed in the homes of parents of children with developmental disabilities all over the country. Parents find themselves in a hopeless battle against time, hoping their children - who are totally dependent on them for care - won't grow too big for them to handle.
In Bend, Dafoe has already had two shoulder surgeries, the impact of lifting her now 94-pound daughter. Melissa, 11, suffered an injury as an infant, resulting in epilepsy and serious development disabilities. She is legally blind, incontinent and must eat through a feeding tube.
"It's basically like having an infant," Dafoe says. "She can't do anything on her own."
Melissa also hit puberty early, and Dafoe had to make a tough call on whether to give her daughter medication that would delay puberty and possibly slow her growth.
"It may sound bad, but it does help with being able to take care of them longer," Dafoe says. "Because if she's not as big, it's easier, especially myself as a single parent, to have the ability to lift her and do all those things."
Dafoe ultimately opted against it, unwilling to give her child even more medication than she already has to take. "She didn't have to have that."
Dafoe gets some assistance from public programs providing money to hire additional help, but often she can't find anyone qualified and willing to do the work for the wages offered.
The community has rallied around her, helping her get a Habitat for Humanity home specially designed for Melissa. The bathroom has a raised tub to make bath time easier and a mechanical lift to help get Melissa from her bed to her wheelchair. She goes to school every day, working with special-education teachers, allowing Dafoe to hold a part-time job.
The return on that investment is the exposure it gives to the community. Dafoe takes Melissa everywhere: the bowling alley, movies, restaurants, even camping. At the grocery store, children from her school will run up to say "Hi!" and gleefully proclaim to all who will listen, "She goes to our school!""One of the greatest things that Melissa has achieved throughout her life and will continue to is the knowledge that she gives other kids and even some adults being around her," Dafoe says. "They learn tolerance, that not everybody is the same, but that they're still OK."
Limited options
Without that community support and public funding, it's likely Melissa would be in a medical foster care home, possibly not even in Central Oregon. When parents can no longer provide care to such children, their last resort is to rely on the state's developmental disability crisis system, says Kathy Drew, manager of the developmental disabilities program at the Deschutes County Health Department.
"When you get into the crisis system, you lose a lot of your choices," she says. "We do our very best there to meet individual needs and meet family needs, but a lot of times, we don't have any choices. We have to take the first available slot and it might be in Astoria."
While public health officials and disability advocates have worked to provide support for parents to continue to care for their children at home, even the limited dollars that are available often come with strict eligibility guidelines. It may be the one place in America where those financially disadvantaged are better off.
Another Bend girl with severe developmental disabilities, Andrea Zifka, 15, never qualified for Medicaid assistance while she was home because of her family's income. They received about $400 a month from Family Support Services, one of the few programs that looks only at medical need for eligibility. That paid for some help to get Andrea ready to go to school each day. But after 13 years, the emotional and physical toll of providing round-the-clock care for their daughter finally broke her parents.
"We became one of those families that really had no choice," her mother, Judy Zifka, says. "Because we weren't going to get any help if we kept her at home."
Andrea now resides at the Center for Medically Fragile Kids, a pediatric nursing facility at Providence Child Center in Portland. Her mother shuttles back and forth from Bend to Portland three hours each way, splitting time between her two children. It is precisely the worst-case scenario the Seattle parents hope to avoid.
"My heart broke for those parents even having to consider the decision," Zifka says. "But it didn't strike me as an odd decision."
She admits that she hoped Andrea would not grow too quickly, either.
"We don't want her to gain weight. When she's big, she's harder for the caregivers," she says. "It's a blessing for everybody when she stays small."
Had the Zifkas received some additional help, Andrea might still be living at home. Instead, the state is paying more than $10,000 a month for her to stay in the nursing facility.
Other states have secured a waiver to federal Medicaid eligibility rules to enroll children whose parents' income excludes them. But no such allowances exist in Oregon as yet.
"Many of these families face some pretty stark choices: place their child in a nursing home, relinquish custody to foster care, or artificially impoverish themselves so that they can maintain Medicaid eligibility," says state Rep. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis. "We have a system that is biased toward services only when a family gets to crisis and providing services out of home."
Gelser is working on several legislative measures that would change the financial incentives, making it easier for parents to get the help they need to keep their kids at home.
"If we're giving families the tools to choose to keep their kids at home, not only is that great for kids and families, it's also an economically viable option," she says. "The state currently spends about $13 million a year for nursing home services for 60 kids. We could serve about 125 kids on this waiver for about $9 million per year."
Not all children will be able to come home from nursing homes, but proponents of expanding at-home services argue that already some parents have been given the help to care for kids at home with more complex needs than those being cared for in nursing facilities.
Developmental disability advocates admit a massive restructuring of the support services for adults with developmental disabilities has monopolized limited state and nonprofit resources, pulling attention away from children with similar needs.
"We recognize that the whole system of services to kids has kind of fallen on hard times, that we as advocates have not been as vigilant in making sure those services are adequate," says Bill Lynch, executive director of the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities. "Not to make excuses, but there's only so much you can do both as advocates and bureaucrats in implementing all this stuff."
Last year, the Legislature directed the Department of Human Services to address shortcomings in at-home support services for kids with disabilities. Officials and advocates held a series of listening sessions around the state to gauge what services and supports would benefit children with disabilities and their families. The work group is now drafting recommendations for changes to the system.
Those types of changes will give parents additional options, but it's not clear whether the parents in Seattle would have opted for a different path. The father told the hospital's ethics committee he knew he could resort to using a mechanical lift to move his daughter. He wanted to be able to lift his daughter with his own two arms.
Gunther says that two other families had also come forward hoping for the same procedure, but as the initial case unfolded, one of those families moved from the region and another family simply gave up.
The doctors maintain that every new request will have to be dealt with individually to protect against harming children who might be able to benefit by growing to full height.
"This is not something we are trying to push on everyone," Gunther says. "The decision is up to the parents, but we think it's an option that should be available to them. It shouldn't be foreclosed by people with different ethical or philosophical views. They don't know the hardships and terrible dilemmas that these parents face."


text:
By Jeff Mason
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is leaning toward choosing Gina McCarthy, a top official in charge of air quality at the Environmental Protection Agency, to run the EPA in his second term, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
McCarthy, currently the assistant administrator for the EPA Office of Air and Radiation, would take on the top job as the agency leads Obama's push for measures to fight climate change.
McCarthy would replace Lisa Jackson, who said in December she planned to step down as EPA chief.
A final decision has not been made, and one source cautioned that Bob Perciasepe, Jackson's deputy, was still in the mix for the administrator post.
An announcement could still be a couple weeks away.
A Boston native, McCarthy came to Washington after serving as the top environmental regulator in Massachusetts and Connecticut under Democratic and Republican governors.
Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, a Democrat, appointed her chair of a council to oversee a review of a proposed hazardous waste incinerator in the Boston area in 1990.
She later served as an environmental policy adviser to then-Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, and launched the state's first Climate Protection Action Plan. Romney was Obama's Republican opponent in the 2012 presidential election.
In 2004, McCarthy was appointed to head Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection under then-Governor Jodi Rell, also a Republican, and helped lead the state into a carbon cap-and-trade system for Northeastern states, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
Her no-nonsense style could be an asset in dealing with Congress if Obama embarks on ambitious new measures to tackle climate change, which he signaled in his inaugural address.
"She's about the most frank high-level public servant you've ever met," said one former colleague, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"She's a good manager, she picks stuff up fast, and she's ... certainly not afraid of a battle. So if they are anticipating a very combative Congress, Gina can certainly hold her own."
McCarthy would bring more gender equality to Obama's revamped Cabinet. The president has faced criticism for appointing white men to vacancies at the departments of state, defense and treasury.
Asked for reaction, a White House spokesman said he did not have any personnel announcements to make.
(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton and Valerie Volcovici, Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Updating modules and themes in Drupal 7
The problem: Updates in Drupal require FTP / SSH and a bit of know how
When the average Drupal site owner without ssh, cvs and other geek gadgets wants to update modules on or themes on their Drupal site, they currently have to do the following:
- Go update status and see the mod is out of date
- Take the site offline
- Make a backup (if they can)
- Know where to find the module on d.o., download the tarball
- Unzip the tarball
- Remove the current directory
- Use FTP to upload the new directory
- Run update.php
We're trying to provide a way that users can get the same user friendliness of a package manager like Synaptic. Where updates and new installs are just a few clicks, no geek gadget belt.
I've entered the D7 ux fray, specifically focusing my generous amount of Acquia community time on getting a project called the Plugin Manager spruced up and into core.
For more background on the effort, see: Plugin Manager in Core (part 1).
The solution: make Drupal update like everything else.
Here is the issue:
Plugin Manager Part 2 : The update status UI
I've been working out some wireframes of how the process might look, and I wanted to share them with the planet to see what people thought of them. So without further ado:
Check out the clickable wireframes
Round 2
As someone who slogs through the 8 steps for every upgrade, a more streamlined upgrade process would be wonderful. I'm looking forward to using this.
If you have access to the command line, you can also use Drush to do all that for you.
http://www.developmentseed.org/blog/2009/jun/09/build ing-drupal-faster-d...
The command is just :
drush update
Which will look like this :
ht tp://www.developmentseed.org/sites/default/files/drush.png
Go for it!
This would be just great -- a relatively simple way to perform updates. Funny, but I was just on the phone this AM with Alex Lindahl of Acquia about my interest in handling this sort of thing on my own, as a site owner (rather than paying for external support to do this, as I'm doing now). Though it seems like it's not that complicated, it's also a process that's subject to glitches -- meaning it's not something you really want to do if you don't feel like you can backtrack...
I don't want to suggest that the scope of this be extended unnecessarily, but I would just like to point out a few key pieces here:
1. If there's any way to hook this into a module/tool for backups, that would be great.
2. One key piece, on the backup front, is ensuring the backups actually work and can be used to restore a site. How does one do that? For the non-geek, that's a pretty tall order -- testing out a backup of a Drupal site to make sure the site can be restored.
For this to work the way you describe it, wouldn't you have to set your module and theme directories as writable by the web server itself? Wouldn't that make Drupal more vulnerable to attack, especially on a shared host?
Right now, I believe that only the settings file is writable by the server - an attacker could overwrite or erase settings, but that's about it. With the modules or themes writable by the server, it could allow an attacker to inject PHP code into currently installed modules and/or themes.
If done skillfully (or, more likely, when someone skillfully writes a script for the kiddiez), the site owner and visitors would not see any change to the site, but the malicious code would run on every page load - for example, having the site send out a few spam messages, or pulling the plain-text password from the login form.
Don't know if you heard about it, but VAserv was hacked hard this weekend. I had a VPS that was among the casualties there, so maybe I'm a little more sensitive to these issues right now, but I'd like security to be (remain?) a priority in the D7 design process.
Hi Jacob - thanks for the pointer, I overlooked those links. So it'll be a push from d.o via (s)ftp then? That's an interesting approach - seems to negate my concerns quite well. Should be interesting to see how the final product works.
Not exactly.
1. The local Drupal site downloads the file from d.o
2. It confirms that the md5 sum of the file matches that published by d.o (to reduce potential for dns poisoning - this happens automatically via ajax, ideally)
3. Ask for ssh/ftp credentials every time, so someone with knowledge of ftp/ssh has to do the action
4. The local Drupal site opens an FTP/SSH connection back to itself and does the install. This allows all code files to remain "read only" to the webserver and yet be replaced by the server acting as the user specified in the FTP/SSH.
See http://drupal.org/proj ect/plugin_manager for more details.
It's always been my understanding that if this was not implemented via a system like Drush, it was not getting into core. This still seems good to me, plus it's a big win for drupal hosting focused companies, and still maintains a higher standard of security (as I understand it).
That said, you should take a look at how Aegir displays these sorts of details, it's a great inspiration to draw from.
Very good idea, and I second the linking or integration with Backup and Migrate, evenif it is just recommending that or a similar module and letting someone invoke it from page 2 in your wireframe. I think this would otherwise be a hurdle for many. Thanks so much for taking this one, it will make many people's lives easier.
My workflow is shorter than what you describe via SSH: copy link from update status, 'wget $path, and 'tar zxvf' but doing this on the back end for many modules at once would be a good thing.
What would make it even more interesting would be to expose community features such as 'X bugs filed since release' or 'X bugs related to release filed'. Or have some sort of a ranking for module reliability.
Of course, the problem is that the community works differently on different modules. For CCK, Views, Panels, the bug counts are staggering but yet they are reliable, widely used and people just report more bugs. But for smaller modules, I always wait a few days and check the issue queue before updating.
Of course, Joomla has had a similar system for a while (at least direct upload if not sync with repository) and it plays havoc with permissions on shared hosting: you may end up with directories only a root can delete.


text: Application note: Analyse compound semiconductors with the inVia™ Raman microscope (pdf) File size: 612 kB Language: English Part number: AN206(EN)-01-A File download Please sign in or create a MyRenishaw account to download this file. A MyRenishaw account will give you quick access to additional content from Renishaw and enable you to manage your preferences. If you do not want to create a MyRenishaw account, you can access this file by completing a short form. Check your personal details Title Mr Mrs Miss Ms Dr Prof Sir First name / initial * Last name * E-mail * Company name * City / town State * Country * Select... 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text:
IFBB Pro. League men's bodybuilder, Charles Griffen performs his posing routine at the 2018 IFBB Muscle Mayhem in Kansas City, Missouri!
IFBB Pro. League men's bodybuilder, Charles Griffen performs his posing routine at the 2018 IFBB Muscle Mayhem in Kansas City, Missouri!
©2016 Maximum Muscle Report
Columbus, Ohio
March 2nd-3rd, 2018
Honolulu, HI
March 10th, 2018
Fort Lauderdale, FL
March 24th, 2018
Rock Island, IL
March 24th, 2018
Chicago, IL
May 5th, 2018
Nashville, TN
May 12th, 2018
Charleston, SC
May 18th-19th, 2018
Kenosha, WI
June 2nd, 2018
Rosemont, IL
June 15th-16th, 2018
Norfolk, VA
July 14th, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA
July 18th-21st, 2018
Las Vegas, NV
July 27th-28th, 2018
Pittsburgh, PA
August 29th-September 1st, 2018
Las Vegas, NV
September 14th-15th, 2018
Women's Physique
Lexington, Kentucky
October 20th, 2018
Port Charlotte, FL
October 27th, 2018
Nashville, TN
November 3rd, 2018
Chicago, IL
November 3rd, 2018
Miami, FL
November 16th-17th, 2018
Before I start, let me get this clear… you're telling me its not normal for a slightly orange and baggy clothed person to be eating every meal out of tupperware and nearly crying at the sight of peanut butter? Hello to all my fellow competitors, friends, family and the people who are extremely confused by what I just said.
My name is Shayla Jacobs and I guess you could say I was "born into" bodybuilding. It all started during the year of 2000. At the time, both my parents were highly competitive athletes in the NPC with nearly 5+ years of experience under their belt. My dad, Marc Jacobs, was a lightweight bodybuilder but brought a killer symmetrical and cut up look to the stage where as my mother, April Jacobs, was an energetic and innovative fitness competitor.
Off the stage, both worked in the industry. My dad has been with Europa for more than 20 years and my mom was a gymnastics coach but was also was a major component in the supplement industry for the top brands you see to this day. The foundation they had from the earliest moments of my life was strong and never once do I think they really knew what they were getting themselves into with me.
I was in gymnastics before anything and my mom made sure to teach me how to point my toes and bend my back. Our family was very active but there was always another level to our life, which was competing. In 2003, my dad went on to receive his procard which inevitably lit a fire in my mom to do so as well come 2004. I vividly remember the fire in their eyes and the outstanding amounts of discipline when I would try to convince them to share a zebra cake with me. Amidst the triumphs and awards, they decided to enjoy the journey and incorporate me and my gymnastics background to the stage. I did about three guest posings where promoters would fly us out to see a little troll-looking five year old cruise on stage in her electric convertible (head bobbing and all), doing some summersaults, headstands and of course my famous "toe wiggle."
After both parents reaching the pinnacle of their career and rightfully earning their IFBB Pro card, it was time to hang up the heels and focus on life, me and my two older sisters. The next 10 years that came our way was nothing less of an experience. Through divorce, leaving our childhood home and worst of all, seeing that once so bright light shine in my parents eyes dim. Sometimes the hardest times in your life can lead you down paths that could save you or kill you and Thank God life brought us down the right one.
At 11 years old training became my outlet. It was something that not only allowed me to lay it all out on the line but brought me closer to my dad who also needed that form of therapy. Years go by and some days were harder than others but it was that overall sense of relief and accomplishment every single day that compelled me to consider it less of a hobby and more of a passion. This was also the time I could see improvements in my family because of training and eventually witnessed that light begin to shine again in my dad's eyes.
2016 was the year that changed my life. In July, I was turning 16 years old and like every year, the main question was what did I want for my birthday? I thought on it for so long but I had everything I could have ever want… so what better to ask for than to see my dad get back on stage after a ten year break? He personally thought it would've been easier to get me a car but boy was it just too perfect considering the Europa Games Charlotte was the weekend of my birthday! He began his prep and I made sure to stand by his side as much as possible whether it was for 45 minutes of cardio or simply writing little notes to get him through his day. Watching him at an older age allowed me to grasp a portion of what it is like to be a competitor and prep for a show. I was infatuated with the resilience and the "no excuses" type of person he formed back into. It inspired me every single day and began forming a small voice in the back of my head to do this one day as well, when the time comes.
After the longest 10 year holt, my dad stepped on stage in the 212 division and received a top five placing in a stacked class. He brought aesthetic and played his strengths by not sacrificing his physique based on the guys who showed up. I will forever hold that time near and dear to my heart and it will go down as the best birthday of my entire life. But wow, was that only the beginning. I remember vividly standing in the kitchen a week after my dads show, eating stromboli and pineapple sherbert out the carton telling him that next year, Im stepping on stage. I was inspired and I knew we just could not be done and this was only the beginning.
Fast Forward to January 1st 2017, 16 years old and just doing simply what I was told. With the excitment of their baby girl getting on stage for their first time, the team came back together! My dad trained me, did cardio with me and talked me through the tough days while my mom came out swinging with a banging fitness routine rightfully themed as "Oompa Loompa." The North Carolina State Championships was something that both my parents won in their previous times of competing and come April, their little girl took the title as well. What do you know, a whole family of state champs! Its' crazy sometimes where life can take you and the true meaning given behind doing what you do makes it all worthwhile.
Now, for the most recent chapter of my story…2018. With 2016 being my dads' comeback year, 2017 being my debut year, what better than 2018 to be our year? We started prep January 1st to be able to step on stage together at the same show. Some days were tough in a house full of competitors on low carbs and high pressure but somehow putting on a little Delilah and jamming out to some old classics soothed our soul. The days counted down and before we knew it, my dad and I were up at 2:30 in the morning enjoying steak and oatmeal. There was an overwhelming sense of excitement even when we were both sitting silent. We both knew there was a job that had to be done and every single second of work that was done would be laid out on that stage within the next hours. From then on, it all happened in a blink. From both of us rushing backstage before we were ready to go on to nearly wanting to rush the stage itself when both of us won our divisions. That was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life. There was so much more behind this show than just what was seen with the naked eye. It sparked a fire in both of us that now is growing even more. From goals that were only a mere thought to now looking at the highest levels in bodybuilding and knowing it can only be a few steps away with persistence, hardwork and dedication. Let's just call this the beginning.
Written by Shayla Jacobs
I was born in Jackson, Mississippi – played sports and went to Ole Miss. I was always involved in working out and sports but I was detoured away from it when I got married at the young age of 22.
The marriage quickly turned to one of verbal and physical abuse. Finally after two and a half years I was divorced and shortly after found my way back to the gym. I was asked to join a fitness team and try out a bikini contest. I was 128 pounds at my first show.
Over time I fell in love with the sport of bodybuilding. After six years of competing I had progressed from bikini, to figure, and now I compete in the fitness division.
I also started the process of becoming a judge last year in hopes of giving back to the sport I love so much; that helped me find what true beauty is. I have since moved to Nashville where I work as a travel nurse and am currently perusing my masters in nursing.
So, I decided to do the Midwest Gladiator in November 2017. I did an 8 week prep and won third place. That was my goal. To just place top 3 in my first show. I didn't know anything about bodybuilding in terms of proper nutrition, how to pose or even what poses were called. I was never really the guy who posed in the gym or at home. I tend to have some insecurity issues, but this whole change allowed me to change myself mentally on top of the physical changes. After placing third, I got the fire burning and wanted more. My goal was to take my weight class and win the overall at my next show. I put in countless hours of training and working with my coach Phil Visicaro who really brought me to a whole different level than I thought was possible. So, 7 months between my first show and my second, I was able to reach the next goal I set for myself. I won LHW open bodybuilding and the Overall at the NPC Illinois State Championships. My fiancée Krista Wessley did her first show at this one as well and also placed third in Novice Figure. Without the help and support day in and day out from her and of course my amazing family and friends this would be a hard endeavor. Anyone in this sport definitely needs the support. Sometimes we can get the best of ourselves.
Women's Physique


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Moderator: Tournament Directors
dominationnation wrote:dont know if this is the place to put it but i have a suggestion for the newsletter. I think that there should be an "idea" section where either you take ideas from the sticky, or get people to pm them to you. Cause there are some really good ideas in there but not many organizers look there for ideas.
Zemljanin wrote:I mostly like tourneys with groups. After SEVERAL games, first (about) two from every group qualify for next round. And same way to the finals...
(WC2010 Europe, which I am playing now, is about perfect example)
I don't know which option is this - "league style" or "other", so I haven't voted yet.
Gozar wrote:Just a bump to remind you to get your submissions in by Sunday.
The form is in the first post.
Also: any organisers interested in being interviewed, please PM me.
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Dear Member
The site is on archive and further discussions are to be held on our Facebook page. Our FB page is popular with over 1.7 million likes and many more choose to discuss and post on threads on there.
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At ForU World your success is our success. We have built a pioneering loyalty and reward based community that rewards you financially for what you do naturally. Simply attend one of our groups and enjoy the company of like minded people and participate in activities that you love.
For more details read below or come along and join us!
ForU World has been set up for you to stay in touch with friends and business associates you have met in your life that you'd like to stay in touch with and build relationships with either friendship or business but don't always have the time or life gets in the way.
You are designed to connect, and find fulfillment in your life. The world has never been more connected electronically than it is today. Yet, it appears that we are not always feeling as connected as we would like to be.
ForU World is a community who connect and help each other. We meet each other regularly with the intention to be present in each other's company (yes, we turn our phones off for an hour!), with the objective to connect, and work out how we can best help each other. When you surround yourself with the people who you feel the most affinity, you can effortlessly and more happily enjoy a more meaningful and fulfilling life. With fun as our focus, we learn to enjoy each other's company, and enrich the quality of the lives of those around us. Form there we arrange to do things together that we love.
We are here to connect people together emotionally, and financially rewarding those who help each other for the good and well-being of all. In life we all meet a lot of people who could potentially be friends, yet life sends us on our separate paths and we never get to explore how we can stay in touch and nurture these relationships. When you help others and that helps you, it is possible to be happier, and make sense of life's chaos in the other areas of our lives. Add meaningful connection and fun to the mix and you have ForU World.
Whether you are looking for more business, more friendships, or more fun; we provide the surroundings and people to make it happen. If you're ready to expand your business or social networks in a fun way, there is a place ForU with us. We invite you to do the things that you love, with the people you like, and earn money doing it.
Cost of attendance free for first time guests. From then on we operate a monthly or annual membership or a drop in charge for non members who have visited previously.
Please note, that by attending this event you are agreeing to the terms below. Please read through these carefully!
First time visitors: Free
Monthly Membership: £30 per month
Annual Membership: £300
Non members £20 per visit
Every person that you invite that becomes a member we will pay you £5 per month for the duration of their membership.
This group is for individuals to meet others who provide a reward-based sales force, and a network of friends. Adding the right work-life balance and building quality relationships is our aim.
To summarise what this group is and how it can work for you:
You will get to meet good people in business in a relaxed and alternative way
We run weekly networking meetings every week in various locations.
Reduced bar rate 1 hour before and 30 mins after the event at some venues.
There is no obligation to attend every week, simply register when you can come
Register and attend any group for no extra cost
There is always an option to stay on after and get to know the members better
Most people offer a commission to other group members for referrals that end in sales
There is a suggested minimum of 10% commission of the profit you make from any business referred, though you are welcome to offer more (unless agreed otherwise in advance!) This is for the lifetime of the introduction
10% of all commissions are payable to ForU World
We organise networking meetings, social activities and training events
It is based on trust and working with people we like
Mixing business with fun is our focus
Phones on silent and put away during the meeting. If you are expecting an important call, please do not attend. We expect you to be present!
Please turn up in time to get yourself a drink before we begin.
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Rocky HandHewn Work Sole Western Boot
This Product Is Sold Out
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Rocky HandHewn Work Sole Western Boot
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Click Here To View Similar Products
Additional Information
In between a dressy western and a monster of a work boot, you have this #4982 Rocky HandHewn Western Boot. Whether you're going to mosey around the farm, or meeting your girlfriend's family in Texas for the first time and don't want to stick out like a sore thumb... this 12 " boot is the right choice for you. It has the perfect balance of looks and durability.
Rocky has crafted the saddle brown colored upper from full-grain leather. The double row welt stitch is visible around the wide, square toe of this #4982 boot. The inside of this western has been lined with leather. Pull holes and an Expansion Fit Seam™ (expands near the arch of your foot) are features of this Rocky HandHewn Western that allow you to get into your boots with no trouble.
To enrich the quality of this Rocky Handhewn western, Rocky has built it using ¾ Goodyear Welt Construction. Gradually, this durable boot will mold an imprint of your foot, and you'll have a boot that fits like it has been custom made just for your feet. Within the inside of these Rocky Handhewn boots, there are lightweight, dual-density footbeds, which supply cushioning. The heel stabilizer and a tempered steel shank will keep your feet steady and comfortable during the duration of time that you are standing.
The Stockman 1 ¼ " heel has a Techno-Stride Rocker heel lift that will move smoothly along with the momentum of your foot. The work outsole is composed of rubber and will help you stay on your feet as you tackle those jobs.
Get a pair of these #4982 Western boots for yourself today!
- Tempered steel shank
- Leather lining
- Full-grain leather upper
- 3/4 Goodyear® welt construction
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- Wide square toe
- Expansion Fit Seam for easy on and off
- Stockman heel - 1 1/4" with Techno-Stride Rocker heel lift
- Leather, hand-pegged outsole
- 12 inches in height


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RE: Awkward...
Tonight at dinner, my BF mom pointed to the screen behind him and said it looked like he had a halo. My son asked what a halo was. She told him it is what angels have atop their heads. He then looks to me, as if to confirm, and I gave an awkward smile and shrugged my shoulders... He just nodded. (It was a little quiet for a minute, but then the appetizers came and all was well.)
"It was life, often unsatisfying, frequently cruel, usually boring, sometimes beautiful, once in awhile exhilarating." -Stephen King
RE: Awkward...
Should have said it was a popular xbox first person shooter.
The following 2 users Like earmuffs's post:2 users Like earmuffs's post
Peanut (23-02-2013), Misanthropik (24-02-2013)
RE: Awkward...
I accompanied my mom to the grocery store recently and as I was walking through the meat isle; a 50-something guy with big Coke-bottle glasses kept staring at me. I happened to be wearing my shirt with the red "Atheism" symbol on it, and as I walked past him he pointed to my shirt and asked "Arlington football?" I just kind of looked at him, confused, and he asked "Is that for the Arlington junior football team?" I just laughed and said "Nope. Atheism." Then he went on some tangent about how he's always been a big fan of this Arlington junior football league and my shirt looks like the logo. So we laughed a bit and parted ways.
The really annoying part was that my mom had been watching us the whole time, and when I walked back over to her, she asked "What did he want?" I told her the whole thing about the football team and she said "Oh...I thought...well, nevermind." Naturally, I knew this had to be good, so I pressed her for it. She finally said "Well, he's kind of creepy and I thought that maybe he saw that you're an atheist too, so he wanted to...I don't know...do whatever it is you people do together."
Turns out ol' momz thinks that we atheists have no morality; which obviously means that we have rampant and uncontrollable sexual desires and don't care who we fuck. She was horrified that some old fruit (who probably wasn't even gay to begin with) was propositioning me to go out to his truck and have some hot, sweaty, no-holds-barred, godless, heathenistic sex in the back seat. What the actual fuck, mom? Seriously.
Through profound pain comes profound knowledge.
Ridi, Pagliaccio, sul tuo amore infranto! Ridi del duol, che t'avvelena il cor!
The following 1 user Likes Misanthropik's post:1 user Likes Misanthropik's post
Peanut (24-02-2013)
RE: Awkward...
(07-02-2013 03:05 PM)blackwell Wrote: My most awkward conversation about atheism was by far when i had to pick up my great uncle.
So what was so 'great' about him?
I have had a few 'awkward' moments during classes but to be honest, I am often the cause of these.
Often, when discussing the difference between best practice 'frameworks' vs. 'standards' I will mention that frameworks are for guidance (suggested models that when adopted and adapted would / could help to improve effectiveness and efficiency) whereas standards are rules that need to be complied with (and contain words like should [i]and shall[/i]).
An obvious example of the latter are the 10 commandments but I will point out that there 613 rules in the bible and not all say 'thou shalt' or 'thou shalt not'.
If the group is a little bit too passive, I might throw out the following line which usually results in an awkward silence, the occasional gasp and then debate (amongst themselves).... at least it wakes them up:
"So, the Quran and the Bible... are they frameworks or standards?"
Probably the most awkwardness was evident when one student was talking about a recent survey in Singapore which amongst many other things had identified the proportion of Singaporeans who believed we were not descended from apes (those are the words the student used when relaying the tale but not, I think, the words of the survey).
I blurted out "Huh?!, We are apes!". Most people laughed, as intended, but one christian student couldn't handle that so I explained 'ape' was just a category and was the same idea as categorising IT incidents into e.g. hardware incidents or application incidents.
Next day he brought in a book his church had given him: The Greatest Hoax on Earth by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati.
I read (most of) it overnight and the next day gave a critique... lots of ad hom against Dawkins and interestingly the acknowledgement that 'speciation' was accepted by most churches. Which, tbh, I didn't realise they did.
We had a really good conversation about it and stuff like Original Sin over lunch when he admitted that he not read the book.
We finished the conversation with him saying he believed we are born in sin and me saying that I think I have more faith in humanity than he does. We both smiled and left it at that.
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Peanut (06-03-2013)
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U.S., Iran both shifting focus to Asia
Experts: Regime gaining business links to China, North Korea, India
Editor's Note: The following report is excerpted from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, the premium online newsletter published by the founder of WND. Subscriptions are $99 a year or, for monthly trials, just $9.95 per month for credit card users, and provide instant access for the complete reports.
WASHINGTON – While the U.S. defense posture is shifting away from the Middle East toward Asia, so is the perspective of another country – Iran, according to a report in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
The U.S. shift to Asia is largely due to China's growing assertiveness in the region and its confrontational posture in insisting that the East and South China Seas are in its area of influence and all of its neighbors and foreign military forces are to stay out.
This would include other countries' efforts to acquire energy resources from the mineral-rich East and South China Seas, which also has brought India in the fray, given its demands as a developing nation and existing contracts it has to mine these resources in the region with Vietnam.
The United States has supported these countries' rights to mine these energy resources while it insists on the right of navigation and passage for its warships in the East and South China Seas – despite Beijing's insistence that it will not tolerate such a presence.
Iran, however, is quickly shifting to Asia as a result of U.S. and European Union sanctions over its nuclear program, and has found the waters welcoming.
According to regional experts, this alternative approach accounts for more than half of Iran's total energy trade. That trade comes primarily from China, North Korea and India.
In turn, China and North Korea for years have been involved in providing Iran with military technology, from the development of missiles to its nuclear program.
As WND/G2Bulletin has previously reported, Iran has found a willing customer, especially with China, when it comes to energy exports.
Given China's more than eight percent annual industrial expansion, it has had a need for energy wherever it can get it. Iran has been a most willing partner, providing oil at cut-rate prices as an incentive to continue such trade despite Western sanctions.
Some estimates reveal that Iran provides some 12 percent of China's energy needs. Sources say that within a decade or so, China even could surpass the United States in oil consumption.
"China's energy needs in turn have become an economic lifeline for Iran," according to Ilan Berman, vice president of the Washington, D.C., -based American Foreign Policy Council. "This dependence will only increase as Iran's economy is further impacted by U.S. and European sanctions."
China remains a major contributor of military technology for Iran, as does North Korea, which has been a major factor in Iran's development of its medium-range Shahab-3 missile and promises to continue that assistance.
Despite certain cutbacks in oil imports from Iran, India will continue to have an increasing reliance on it for energy due to its own domestic growth.
While India remains conflicted over sanctions toward Iran, there is every indication that New Delhi, too, will continue its economic and political relationship with Tehran.
The reason is that India has the largest Shia population outside of Iran and will need Tehran to help contain the Shia against any effort to join Islamist militants in the dispute in Indian-administered Kashmir, where the population is mostly Muslim.
Iran is expected to also look to Malaysia, which has increased economic and political relations with Tehran in recent years.
"Equally important, however, are the informal links between Tehran and Kuala Lumpur," Berman said. "Malaysia long has served as a hub for international smuggling, and Iran is known to use Malaysian territory, citizens and firms to smuggle materials for its nuclear program."
Iran also has increasing ties with Thailand, which offers commodities in exchange for Iranian oil.
"As the strategic rivalry between Washington and Tehran continues to intensify," Berman said, "it is likely that Asia will emerge as a distinct arena of competition. Should Iran's nuclear ambitions lead to outright military conflict with the West, the Asia-Pacific region could see a surge of destabilizing activity by the Islamic Republic or its proxies."
Keep in touch with the most important breaking news stories about critical developments around the globe with Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, the premium, online intelligence news source edited and published by the founder of WND.
For the complete report and full immediate access to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, subscribe now.


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Teen airlifted after crash in Randolph County
Teen airlifted after crash in Randolph County
A Southwest Randolph High School student was flown to the hospital after his pickup truck crashed and landed on its roof.
Benjamin Welch was injured in the crash around 3:30 p.m. Monday on Hopewell Farms Road near Tot Hill Farm Road and the Asheboro Regional Airport.
Welch was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he is listed in good condition.
Welch was driving a 2004 Ford Ranger when he ran off the right side of the road and overcorrected, troopers said. The truck overturned and ended up on its roof.
The crash is still under investigation. No one else was in the truck, and no other vehicles were involved.


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The objective of the PhD in Materials Science and Engineering program is to prepare individuals to perform original, cutting-edge research in the broad areas of materials science, including nanostructured materials, electronic, optical and magnetic materials, biomimetic materials, polymeric materials, MEMS materials and systems, organic electronics and advanced processing of modern materials.
School: Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science
Program: Materials Science and Engineering
Catalog page: PhD
GPA: Minimum of 3.5 in undergraduate-level course work on a 4.0 scale
Test score required: Yes
Minimum GRE revised scores of 154, 154, and 4 for the verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing components, respectively, are advisable.
Letters of recommendation: 3
Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who can judge the candidate's probability of success in graduate school. Use the electronic request form in the graduate application to submit the letters. Contact the graduate academic program department if you have any questions.
Documentation: Documentation deadlines are the same as the application deadlines below.
Application: Deadlines below are applicable for ALL applicants.
Fall admission: April 15
Spring admission: Sept. 1
No applications are accepted for summer admission.
Please visit the Materials Science and Engineering Admissions Web page for more information.
[email protected]
Or refer to MSE's frequently asked questions.
Graduates of the program seek positions such as: Materials Engineer/Scientist, Process Engineer, Research Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer and postdoctoral or professor positions at universities.
See Bureau of Labor Statistics for detailed salary information on these careers. Another great resource is the Occupational Outlook Handbook.


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Search terms
Giving light a new experience
Pure forms of eye-catching beauty and elegant simplicity crafted from premium blocks of high-grade glass and brushed aluminium. An invisible disc or plane of light that's both gloriously luxurious and minimalist in its essence. See all benefits
Unfortunately this product is no longer available
Adjust the light intensity of the Philips LED lights with a dimmer switch (not included). This makes this light ideal for creating an ambience for any occasion, whether a cosy meal à deux or chilling out with family and friends in your living room. Philips tested a number of wall dimmers that have proved to be compliant with our LED lights. A list of compatible dimmers is available in the downloads and support section.
A light source you can trust. Philips LED lights offer an extremely long life of at least 20.000 hours (which equals 20 years on basis of an average use of 3 hours a day with an amount of at least of 13.000 on/off switching cycles). With the Philips LED lights you won't have to worry about maintenance or lamp replacement while having the perfect light ambience in your home.
The LED module of this lamp is a uniquely developed solution by Philips, combining 3 LEDs in a synthetic and aluminium housing. This technique enables an optimal light output and a 100% uniform light colour.
The LED lighting technology used in Philips lighting fixtures is highly energy-efficient (7.5 W module produces 350 Lumen). As a result, every lighting fixture conserves energy, helping consumers to save money on their electricity bills and contribute to preserving the environment. For home lighting that's energy-efficient and provides great light in a range of contemporary designs, look for Philips LED products.
Light up your home with warm white light effects thanks to the latest LED innovation. Philips introduces the latest generation of high-power LEDs, providing a warm white light reaching a colour temperature of 2700 Kelvin. This innovation brings the Philips lighting fixtures to the next level, allowing you to combine elegance and ambience creation with light and energy efficiency.
On top of the standard 2-year warranty for this lamp, Philips offers a 5-year warranty on the LED system, meaning the LED module and the driver in this lamp.


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Actress Olivia Wilde has taken aim at the media for turning candid comments she made about her sex life at a New York event into headline news, insisting it was all part of a performance art piece.
The TRON: Legacy beauty took part in Glamour magazine's These Girls event on Tuesday (09Oct12) and appeared to openly discuss her lack of sex towards the end of her eight-year marriage to Italian prince Tao Ruspoli, who she divorced last year (11).
She told attendees, "I felt like my vagina died. Turned off. Lights out... And you can lie to your relatives at Christmas dinner and tell them everything on the home front is just peachy. But you cannot lie to your vagina."
Wilde revealed she even considered embarking on a same-sex love affair to experience "a soft kind of lesbian relationship, just gentle kissing and scissoring", but she dismissed the idea as soon as she met new boyfriend Jason Sudeikis late last year (11).
She confessed to falling "blissfully, hopefully and wildly in love" with the Horrible Bosses star, who she recently moved in with, and credited the comedian with giving her a new appetite for sex, revealing, "We have sex like Kenyan marathon runners."
However, Wilde took to her Twitter.com blog after the event to explain that her comments were all part of a performance art piece, and shouldn't be taken at face value.
She wrote, "The 'These Girls' monologues at Joe's Pub were not meant for publication, and, in context, were a celebration of LOVE, girls, and honesty. Sneaky recorders are everywhere these days, but performance art doesn't always translate accurately to tabloid interpretation."


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Message Board
Jewell Mason Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Mason has written!
Author Mason's Book Reviews
Lady Dragon
Medallion; Feb 2004 ISBN: 0974363952 In 1324 an angry Lord Devon de Grenfeld visits one of his holdings Ambellshire to meet with the local laird Edmund Brystowe whose behavior places his loyalty at question. Edmund ignored a summons insisting he must protect the keep from marauding Scots. Devon doubts the alibi as the Scots have not raided in a decade. Devon arrives in time to see a pitched battle. Before he can talk with Edmund, one of the...


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The Society has various membership categories to fit in with you and your family's requirements.
Yearly rates are:
- Individual $20 > subscribe for individual
- Couple (at same address) $30 > subscribe for couple
- Child (under 13) $5 per child
- Student (under 18) $12
- Corporate $40
Membership runs from 1st July until 30th June. If you join after 1st January you get the remainder of that year free and your membership will expire on 30th June the following year.
We accept various methods for payment. See the application form for more details:
Membership Application Form(132 KB)
Membership Application Form(195 KB)


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Get the Unbound Saga [PSP] Trailer off WP (25mb)
Unbound Saga is based on the upcoming comic book of the same name to be published by Dark Horse Comics, a leading publisher of comic books and graphic novels.
The Unbound Saga video game follows the adventures of comic book tough guy Rick Ajax. Trapped in a comic book world that is always in need of saving, Rick is not only at odds with the constant threats against his world, but also with the ubiquitous entity known as 'The Maker' who constantly 'draws' new dangers to put in Rick's path. But Rick has had enough and is making his way, one brawl at a time, to the final throw down with 'The Maker'. With art by comic book artist/writer Cliff Richards (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wonder Woman, The New Thunderbolts), Unbound Saga brings hardboiled comic book action and button crunching fighting fury to portable gaming.
Key Features:
- Comic Come to Life: Climb through the panels and fight hand drawn enemies as you uncover the twisted comic book tale of Rick Ajax.
- Tag Team Heroes: Strategically switch between two main characters, Rick Ajax and Lori Machete, each with their own unique fighting styles and special unlockable skills.
- Interactive Environments: Real-time physics allow you to smash anything in the room! If you can pick it up, you can use it as a weapon!
- Character Advancement: Collect Experience Points and customize your Heroes' abilities with unique, unlockable Skills and Powers. The better you play, the more XP you earn, and the more cool moves you can unlock!
- Story: You are Rick Ajax or Lori Machete, two fighters with their own style and a unique set of skills. As you journey through the futuristic wastelands of Toxopolis in search of your nemesis, "The Maker", you will encounter a wide range of bizarre creatures, colorful characters, and brutal bosses, most of whom will try their best to prevent you from reaching your goal.
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In This Bulldog Beauty Pageant, the One With the Most Wrinkles Wins
Judges Rate Face, Figure and First Impression; Swagger a Plus
LONG BEACH, Calif.—As he sauntered along the red carpet, Filbert squirmed in his tuxedo and high hat. Bentley, who has his own social-media account, drooled nonstop. Harley, a skateboard and surfing buff, sniffed the air.
Their deportment may be wanting, but these contestants in an annual beauty contest here still charmed the crowd. They were among the top dogs in this southern California city's 10th annual Bulldog Beauty Contest. The event last month attracted 200 of the squat, squishy-faced and much-loved canines from as...